While tea party favorite Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina continues to ponder making a run at the Republican presidential nomination, his competitors are keeping tabs on what he does. His home state will be a crucial primary battle.

While U.S. Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., has said he has no intention of running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, other candidates seem more than willing to take his place as one of the conservative favorites in the field.

A newly formed group of conservatives called “America’s President Committee” kicked off a petition drive Monday to get U.S. Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana into the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

Another name has emerged in the already crowded field of potential Republican candidates and the new hopeful has served as governor of Louisiana. No, not Gov. Bobby Jindall who looks increasingly unlikely to launch a bid. It’s former Gov. Buddy Roemer who currently serves as the president and CEO of Business First Bank.

Public Policy Polling (PPP), a polling firm with connections to Democrats, released a poll Tuesday that showed Ohio will be a battleground, even though President Barack Obama currently leads the four main candidates for the Republican presidential nod.